


Creature of the Sea

by Ducklingxkitten



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Monster, Angst, Blood and Gore, Character Death, Fluff, Implied/Referenced Torture, M/M, Smut, Tags May Change
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-07
Updated: 2018-05-07
Packaged: 2019-05-03 13:33:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,324
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14570085
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ducklingxkitten/pseuds/Ducklingxkitten
Summary: Monster AU featuring my MC Ophaniel





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Forgot to post it here too~
> 
> If you're not following my tumblr, here some precisions (copy paste from tumblr): Ophaniel is based on the lanternfish with glowing white eyes and long, long white hair, sharp teeth, gills just under his jaw, ribs visible. His real mouth is on his throat. He’s much, much bigger than the other mermaids and feeds on other sea creatures as well as… mermaids who would swim a little too close to him or/and would be attracted by his lantern. He’s curious so from time to time he swims closer to the surface and sinks a ship or two for his own pleasure. He's approximately 15ft tall.

He knew one day his curiosity would harm him. He knew sinking ships for his own pleasure would provoke their wrath and they would start hunting him down. Being too close to humans had never ended good for his own kind or any other creature living in the sea, too scared to come to the surface, too scared of men’s barbarism and cruelty. He had been too curious, too reckless and Ophaniel had to face the consequences today. Or that was what he thought.

Something shiny on the surface had caught his attention while he was feeding on a beautiful mermaid with hair as red as blood and eyes as dark as the depth of the ocean, his big mouth ripping apart the sky-blue tail of that poor creature still breathing. His curiosity prevailing over his hunger, he’d let go of the mermaid and had swum to the surface only to be met with a ship he had never seen before.

Decorated with crimson-red and gold colours, the ship seemed empty and Ophaniel wondered how a ship of this size managed to arrive here on its own. That was impossible, wasn’t it? Ophaniel dragged himself out of the water, his white eyes focused on the shiny object which was an assortment of necklaces and other gems hanging loosely from the ropes. _Strange place to put aside some jewelleries_ , he thought as he grabbed a blue stone, unaware of what was happening in the hold.

He couldn’t leave his eyes of his new treasures as he slid along the stern smiling at the thought of adding them to his other findings when a detonation followed by a searing pain in his shoulder made him turn his head to the ship. There he saw them, the men hiding behind the cannons, waving harpoons and other weapons, whooping with delight, screaming words he had already heard too many times. _Monster. Abomination._

He saw red and screamed when he took the harpoon out of his shoulder, screamed with pain and anger when his long silver tail hit the ship’s stern, hard enough to leave a gaping hole. But that didn’t seem to have the kind of effect he had hoped for. He had thought they would panic – like they always did – and leave their ship before it sank, but they did none of that. Instead, they were shooting more harpoons in his direction, firing cannonballs in the water each time he tried to leave.

Ophaniel was trapped. In the meantime, two other ships he hadn’t seen – too focused on destroying the first one – had surrounded him. He was trapped and in so much pain, his body bruised and pierced. This was the end, he was going to die by those men’s hands, by mere human hands, he a creature feared by both sea creatures and human beings.

Tears of pure rage ran down his cheeks as another harpoon pierced his body before he passed out from exhaustion and pain.

He woke up on a hard floor and in seawater, but his surroundings were too bright for him to still be in his ocean. Luxurious rugs, the painting of a man dressed in red and gold, and blood red drapes were hanging from a bed. Ophaniel didn’t know what that room was. He was trapped in a tank big enough for him to move, in an unknown place for an unknown purpose.

With the little strength he still had, Ophaniel hit the glass with his tail, once, twice, and felt a growing sense of frustration take over his whole body when he saw he hadn’t even cracked the glass. He knew it was no use, he was too weak, but he hit it again, as hard as he could.

“Easy there,” a voice interrupted him and when he opened his eyes he saw the same man from the panting standing in front of him, “you’re gonna break a bone. You can’t shatter it.”

Ophaniel snarled, showing him his big mouth – his real mouth, the one on his pale throat – full of sharp teeth with the intention to scare that man, fists clenched on the glass. He didn’t move an inch, didn’t lose that grin Ophaniel wanted to rip from his lips so badly.

“I have heard so many legends about your kind, but I have never thought they all would be true. How fascinating. Wonder why you are here, hm?” he said a hand on the tank tracing his body, his right arm, his ribs, the beginning of his tail. “You’re here on my claim. You’re my new trophy but you, oh you I’ll keep you alive. It’s a shame they had to hurt you though, but what is done is done!”

He laughed as he turned his back to the tank, and Ophaniel felt a rage simmer in him waiting to be released. He would have him beneath his hands one day, and his throat would feel his teeth sink in his skin inch by inch. This was a certainty, a promise.

“We will have so much fun together, my dear pet.” He told him with that sick grin before closing the door behind him leaving Ophaniel alone.


	2. Chapter 2

Ophaniel had lost count of the days since he opened his eyes in this tank. Weeks had passed, maybe months and he was still trapped here.

A beautiful woman with long purple hair had told him one morning that he was captive in a palace, in a town called Vesuvia far away from his dear cold ocean, thanks to the Count. Her husband. The man he had met the first time he’d opened his eyes here.

The Countess, Nadia, was a nice woman who would spend an hour or two with him, daily, and just talk to him. She would tell him how sorry she was for what was happening to him, that he shouldn’t be here trapped in a tank like a mere pet when he could be free in the ocean and resume his life as the predator he was supposed to be.

Ophaniel had been wary of her many visits the first few times but had learnt to enjoy her company. Hers was far better than the Count’s. She wasn’t teasing him, telling him all the things he could do to him if he wouldn’t stop trying to break the glass of the tank. She wasn’t threatening him with a sparking staff and laugh each time he would swim to the back of the tank, far away from this man. She wasn’t telling him he would one day - sooner than what he was expecting - be introduced to the rest of the court and that he would entertain them. How? Ophaniel didn’t want to know that.

Nadia was so different from her husband, so different that Ophaniel wondered why she married someone like Lucio. When he could hear the Count’s screams outside of that room, he could be sure Nadia’s soothing words would follow them. When Lucio left him after long minutes of torturing him, Nadia was there in front of him only seconds after, telling him he was alright and that she wouldn’t let Lucio hurt him. Humans were such strange creatures.

And then, one day, Ophaniel met someone else. Someone that would turn his world upside down.

It happened during an afternoon in the middle of summer - Nadia would always take her time to describe the weather to him, tell him every colour and scent that Vesuvia could have during this season - when he met him.

He had been waiting for Nadia, swimming in circles in his tank wondering what was taking her so long as she had never been late before, when he saw the door open and Nadia smiled at him but he didn’t pay attention to it. His white eyes were focused on the new guest she brought with her. Hair as white as his own and purple eyes full of surprise and curiosity were facing him as he put his hands on the glass, watching that newcomer with the same curiosity.

“Asra my dear, meet Ophaniel. Lucio’s latest… trophy.” She said, disgust visible on her face when she uttered the word ‘trophy’.

“He shouldn’t be here.”

“I know, that’s why I asked you to come. I need your help.”

“How can I help you?” He asked without leaving Ophaniel’s gaze. They stayed like that, looking at each other for some minutes before Asra looked away, a faint blush on his cheeks.

“Help me make him leave the Palace without Lucio knowing. He needs to go back to the ocean or at least somewhere deep enough for him until he has fully recovered.”

“He hurt him?”

Nadia nodded. “He was in a worst state when they brought him here. Those wounds are healed, but Lucio keeps making new ones and I wonder why Ophaniel hasn’t killed him already. He’s strong enough to sink ships from what I’ve heard, and compared to ships, Lucio is nothing more than a twig.”

Oh, if only she knew. Lucio wasn’t alone when he was 'playing’. Who could be able to make him stay in place, him a giant merman, a monster in the eyes of many people? Lucio couldn’t, he needed help. _Magical_ help. Ophaniel could still see their face and hear their laughter every time he would close his eyes. He had never thought a few human beings would one day make him shiver with fear.

“I know a place,” Asra said after a while. “it’s big enough for him, the lake his deep enough too, and I’m the only one who knows its location.”

“Thank you Asra. You have no idea how it hurts me to see him like this.”

“It’s too soon to thank me, but I promise to help you.”

That day, Ophaniel felt a smile stretch his lips. The first time in a long, long time.

When Asra came back a week later, he was surprised to see Ophaniel lying at the bottom of the tank, his back turned to him. Asra could see his translucent dorsal fins move slowly, but what shocked him the most were his protruding spine and ribs. He needed to get him out of here, there was no more time to lose.

He knelt in front of the tank then called him. As painful as the thought was, Ophaniel was dying.

“Are you ready?” he asked him when he turned his head to see who was calling him, “Let’s get you out of this tank.”

Ophaniel didn’t understand how it was possible for him to fit in Asra’s flask, but Asra blew glittery dust on him and the minute after he was swimming in his flask, in the dark. It was strange. In a way, being trapped in here felt like he was back in his ocean. It was as cold as he could remember and just as dark. He even was surprised to see a shoal of fish, but it didn’t last long.

He didn’t know how many time passed between the moment Asra came in the room, and the moment he opened the flask again. The water he fell into was different, warmer and as soon as he touched the surface, he got back to his normal size and swam as deep as his strength could allow him.

“Lucio won’t find you here,” Asra said once Ophaniel came back to the surface, only half of his face above the water, “you will have all the time you need to recover, you’re safe here.”

“Thank you.” He said, straightening his body.

Ophaniel grinned seeing Asra’s widened eyes and surprise all over his face, and came closer to him.

“I, I didn’t know you could talk.” Asra stuttered, a blush back on his cheeks.

“You didn’t ask me, or Nadia.”

Ophaniel didn’t know how long would take his recovery, but he would make sure to have some fun if Asra was that easy to fluster.

_Really, humans were such curious creatures._


	3. Chapter 3

Ophaniel loved the place. The cave was huge, the temperature perfect for him and the walls of the cave were bright, glowing with shapes he couldn’t identify. Rays of light found a way above him and reflected in the pool that was now his shelter, broad water lilies dancing around him with each of his movements.

Ophaniel loved that place, but he loved it more when Asra was there too, with him. During those moments, Asra would sit on the pool’s edge, soaking his legs to his knees, and keep him company. They would talk, Asra more than Ophaniel, and he loved listening to his voice and the many stories he had to share. Sometimes, he would rest his head in the crook of his arms and watch Asra talk. He loved how his purple eyes were shining every time he was coming here, he loved how beautiful his smile was and Ophaniel had never thought he would see something as beautiful as Nadia’s before meeting him.

And today again, Asra came. The sun was setting and Ophaniel was playing with the water lilies when he heard footsteps behind him. He didn’t wait for Asra to sit down like he usually would before he swam to him, beaming.

“What’s this?” Ophaniel asked as Asra took a strange object from his bag.

“It’s a comb,” he said handing it to Ophaniel, “for your hair, I’ve noticed they’ve got knots the last time I was here.”

“How does it work?”

“Let me show you,” taking it back, he combed his own hair in slow movements making sure Ophaniel would understand, before giving it back to him. But when he saw after a few seconds that Ophaniel wasn’t doing anything, he asked, “What’s wrong?”

“Could you do it to me?” he said, white eyes unable to leave those beautiful purple irises. “I’m afraid to break it.”

Asra smiled then patted the space between his legs showing him to come closer. “Could you bend down a little please? You’re so tall.”

“Or is it you who’s too small?” He grinned and placed his hands on each side of Asra’s hips, fingertips barely touching him, and sank down a little more in the water to be at his eyes level.

The sensation was strange, but not unpleasant. Asra was gentle, even when a knot was giving him a hard time, and Ophaniel loved the way Asra’s cheeks would get that red shade whenever he would catch him gazing or brushing the tip of his nose against his cheek.

Ophaniel could see the many questions in his eyes, his lips shut in a thin line as he was combing his hair with shaking hands. Was he scared? Was he scared to be that close to a monster like him? Was it because of what happened the last time he stopped here in the cavern?

Asra was reading him a story, swinging his legs in the water feeling sometimes Ophaniel brush his fingers against his ankles, moving higher and higher before he would stop him with a “tut tut”, only gaining from Ophaniel one of his grins. Everything happened like it always had before. Asra would read, Ophaniel would tease him, seeing how far he could go before Asra’s voice would get stuck in his throat and a red colour would find once again its place on his cheeks.

The cavern had become darker and darker with each passing minute, and after a while it was impossible for Asra to keep on reading. He had lit a fire with his hands, making the flames grow bigger and bigger, without feeling Ophaniel’s tensed hands beside him, without seeing the fear in his eyes as his gaze was focused on Asra’s hands. It was only when he put a warm palm on his cheek that Ophaniel reacted.

He pushed his hand away, snarled at him revealing his mouth full of sharp teeth on his throat, his upper body shivering as waves were hitting the rocks with how hard his silver tail was waggling. He knew Asra would never harm him with his magic. His body had only reacted on his own, out of fear, still too scared of what Lucio had done to him.

What would he think of him now that he had seen who he truly was? Would he call him a monster, an abomination? Would he bring him back to Lucio? Or was he going to harm him just like Lucio and his courtiers had done? _For their own pleasure._

It took Asra long, horribly long minutes to calm him down enough for him to come back close to him, and even more to Ophaniel to let Asra slide his arms around his neck and caress his wet hair, whispering how sorry he was and that he would never hurt him.

In Asra’s eyes, Ophaniel wasn’t the monster tales and men were talking about. He had become more with each passing day, someone Asra couldn’t be far away from for too long.

“You’re not talking a lot today,” Asra said, bringing him back to reality, “are you okay?”

“Are you scared of me Asra?” He said taking gently Asra’s hands in his. They were so small compared to his, he could easily break every one of his bones without too much effort, and yet, it was the last thing he wanted to do to him. Ophaniel couldn’t understand why he was feeling like this with Asra, why he wanted to stay close to him, why he was afraid Asra might push him away.

It wasn’t like Ophaniel would stay here forever, right?

“No,” he said smiling at him, his thumbs drawing circles on his skin, “no I’m not scared of you.”

“Then why are you shaking?”

“It’s getting cold,” _Lie_ , “and dark, but the light of your lantern is enough. I won’t-”

Ophaniel didn’t know what got into him. Before Asra could finish his sentence, Ophaniel wrapped his waist carefully, too afraid to hurt him and hold him close. He brushed the tip of his nose against his jaw like he used to do it lately and smiled when Asra’s breath hitched as one of his arms slid under his thighs. He didn’t want to let him go, and with the way Asra was hugging him back, Ophaniel thought it was the same for him.

“Stay. Please stay.”

And so did Asra.


	4. Chapter 4

There was a reason why his wounds took so many days to heal, why Asra would put ointments on them instead of healing him with his magic. The water of this lake combined with Asra’s abilities were the best treatment. There was a reason why Asra was doing this; he didn’t want to bring Ophaniel back to his ocean, he didn’t want him to leave him.

Asra had never thought he would grow attached to someone like Ophaniel. He had heard of creatures like him through tales and legends like every human being who would believe such stories. He always had found them to be such fascinating creatures. How surprised he had been the day when Nadia had asked for him to come to the Palace, how surprised he had been when he saw Ophaniel trapped in this tank. He’s been captivated by those ghostly eyes and his long silver tail. Never had Asra thought he would one day be face to face with someone like him.

Ophaniel was always on his mind; when he was busy in the shop or in Nopal, or even when he had to go back to the Palace to ‘investigate’ on his disappearance his mind would always go back to the merman he was hiding in his cavern.

Asra loved him. He loved when Ophaniel would take him in his arms and they would swim to the middle of the lake, his legs wrapped around his waist. He loved when Ophaniel was brushing his nose against his jaw, when he was kissing his neck, hands always moving higher and higher under his wet shirt. Under his touches, Asra had had to bite his cheeks more than once to not let his voice betray him.

He couldn’t help himself but smiled when he entered the cavern and saw the lake, still with its blossoming lily pads. He walked to the lake then crouched down before placing his palm on the surface of the water and hit it twice. Asra’s smile widened when, deep down there, Ophaniel noticed him and swam back to the surface.

“You came!” he beamed, his face so close to Asra’s who was leaning over the water.

“Like I promised. How’s your body? Still in pain?”

“No,” Ophaniel said, his hands already on Asra’s hips, his lips pressing kisses along his jaw, “you did wonders for a mere human.”

His kisses became more insistent and Asra sighed when he felt his hands tracing his spine, his own tensed on his shoulders. He let him put him into the water, his back pushed against the stone and brought his hands on Ophaniel’s cheeks. His fingers traced the bridge of his nose, his thumb his lips then his gills which were just under his jaw, all the while without tearing his gaze from his white eyes.

“It tickles,” Ophaniel said with his body pressed against Asra’s, hands roaming on his thighs and higher, higher. It was the first time he was that close to a human he didn’t intend to kill, the first time he wanted to taste one in a whole different way.

He tore his shirt as Asra was kissing his gills one after the other, feeling his hands caress his chest, dipping them lower into the water. He let him caress his hips feeling his scales before Asra slid a hand behind his back. His fingers lingered there feeling the texture of his skin before he let them stray downwards and over his dorsal fins.

Ophaniel sighed against Asra’s head, his hands already tugging at his pants and when he heard Asra call him, he couldn’t hold himself back and gently raised his head before he opened the large slit on his throat revealing his mouth, and licked the cupid bows of his lips.

Asra shivered. The last time he saw this mouth was in a scarier moment he could have avoided if only he had known what Lucio had really done to him. He knew Ophaniel could kill him with that mouth. One single bite and Asra would be bleeding to death. But he also knew Ophaniel would do nothing of that, not because Asra had brought him here far away from Lucio, nor because he was grateful.

He parted his lips and allowed his tongue to slide into his mouth for a heated kiss. Asra couldn’t help but moan into his mouth as felt his pants leave him and Ophaniel’s claws leaving marks on his ass. Blood rushed to his face and between his legs making him hot, making him forget the chill in the water, making him crave for more. He dipped his hands in the water once more feeling goosebumps on his skin, until his hands reached his swelling slit. He rubbed it, feeling himself becoming hard with each moan Ophaniel was letting out from his full lips as sharp teeth bit at his lower lip.

“Asra,” he called him, nudging his nose under his jaw while he grabbed his ass once again and squeezed, “I won’t hold myself back if you don’t stop.”

“Then don’t,” Asra grinned as he was still rubbing his slit, enjoying his thrusts against his palm. His purple eyes widened in surprise though when he felt not only one, but two cocks emerge from his slit, hard and throbbing.

“Jealous?” Ophaniel teased then took one of his earlobes between his teeth.

His next words died in his throat as Asra started caressing his cocks up and down, both in one hand, his free hand resting on the back of his neck as Ophaniel was leaving deep red marks on his thighs, lips and teeth following the shape of his throat to his shoulder.

Asra could feel him grow bigger with each of his thrusts in his hand. He bit his bottom lip when Ophaniel moaned his name, again and again like a beautiful melody and when Ophaniel made him sit on the edge he kissed his full lips, not even noticing Ophaniel’s eyes had turned to black.

A strangled moan escaped his lips when Ophaniel’s mouth closed around his length and moved down, slowly. He pressed on the back of his head, his hand grabbing a fistful of white hair, as he bucked his hips forwards, in the warmth of his mouth. He felt Ophaniel’s hands on his back holding him close as his head was moving up and down making Asra cry for more.

“You’re beautiful,” he said as he dragged himself out of the water and sat on the edge leaving half of his tail immersed. His next words died in Asra’s mouth as he straddled him, a warm tongue meeting his.

“Look in my bag,” Asra said, his breath hot against his cheek as he put kisses after kisses on his face and along his jaw, “there should be a pink glass bottle. I need it.”

The bottle was indeed in his bag, as well as many other things Ophaniel couldn’t name, and he wondered what kind of use this one could have. Was it some kind of potion? Would something change in him if Asra swallowed that thing?

He leant on his elbows and watched with curious eyes Asra put on his fingers what was in the bottle, before bringing his hand behind his back. Asra was beautiful with his eyes closed and bottom lip between his lips as he was slowing fucking himself on his fingers, his free hand tensed on Ophaniel’s chest.

_He wanted him. He wanted him so bad._

Asra removed his fingers and taking one of his cocks in his hand, he placed it at his entrance. He hissed as it was stretching him, the sensation of being filled by something bigger than what he’d already known was making his legs shake. Asra breathed out once he was sitting on his lap, and smiled at Ophaniel who was looking at him, his eyes full of worry.

“Are you alright?” He asked, a hand pressed on the small of his back, the other on his cheek, thumb caressing his eyelid.

“I’m fine,” Asra said kissing his palm, his fingers closing on Ophaniel’s cock rubbing against his own, “I just need to– _Ah_!”

He felt him moving inside, slowly, and seeing him wink at him made him blush. Ophaniel grabbed his hips shoving his cock deep down his ass tearing beautiful sounds from Asra’s throat, lips kissing his jaw and teeth scratching the skin without bruising him. Not yet.

“More… More… More!” Asra whined as his hand was stroking their cocks between them, tilting his head back as Ophaniel’s long tongue was licking his throat, his collarbone, and his shoulder where he bit him, sharp teeth piercing the flesh.

Tears were running down his cheeks, a mix of pain and pleasure and the only thing he could think of was how much he needed this. They had teased each other for too long, had tried to forget their growing feelings, had tried to forget they were different. Too different.

_More… More_ , he thought over and over, his voice stuck in his throat as Ophaniel was thrusting his cock deeper, harder.

Ophaniel was growling in the crook of his neck, his arms wrapped tightly around his waist, almost crushing him as Asra’s fingers were tracing the curves of his lips on his throat. He sank his teeth deeper in his shoulder as Asra came, crying out of pain, and licked the warm blood that was trickling down his chest.

“You’re mine now,” he said against his lips, “Mine. _Mine_.”

Asra was at his limit; Ophaniel was moving harder and faster in him as he got closer, teeth once again deep in his shoulder and claws in his hips.

Ophaniel held him still until he was done, his shaking body pressed against his chest feeling Asra’s cum dripping down his own stomach, then let him slouch more against him.

Asra was exhausted and said nothing when Ophaniel brought him with him into the water, his tongue lapping at his wound and hands caressing his body. He sighed when his lips replaced his tongue and Asra kissed every inch of skin he could reach, arms around his neck.

“My Asra,” he whispered, their forehead touching, “my beautiful Asra, I won’t let you go.”

Asra only held him tighter. They weren’t meant to be together, but he would find a way. No matter what it would take.


	5. Chapter 5

He had never thought he would worry about a human that much. If someone would have told him years ago that he’d be that close to one of them, he would have laugh. Or tear their body apart for insinuating he could fall for such vile creatures. He considered them as his toys, sometimes even as his food, but everything changed with Asra.

Asra was gentle, full of surprise, beautiful and trustworthy. He was making him laugh, was taking care of him and would always ask him how he was feeling before telling him how things were back at the Palace, knowing Lucio’s many abuses were still branded in his mind. And Asra knew just how hard it was to trust someone again after this, no matter if the victim was a mere human or a 15ft tall merman.

That was how he learned Lucio had started to doubt Asra’s words concerning the research, had started to think Asra might be implied in his “disappearance”. Of course, Ophaniel had told him it would be better for Asra’s security if he’d go back there, go back to Lucio, but Asra had only laughed and said that everything was alright, that Lucio would never lay a finger on him again. He was safe here after all. Safe with him.

Ophaniel had trusted him when, at the end of that day, he’d told him he would be back soon. Asra had a few things to do in Vesuvia, in some place called “shop”, and those things might take some time. Ophaniel had trusted him, had patiently waited for him even after spending three days without seeing his beautiful smile. He had spent his days swimming in the lake, surprised he could find pretty stones down there he could show to Asra once he’d come back, had watched the stars and moon at night wondering if Asra was sleeping well, wondering if he was thinking of him. But truth be told, Ophaniel couldn’t stop worrying about him.

Especially when, after nearly two weeks, Asra still hadn’t come back. Could that mean Lucio had found out the truth and was now keeping him in the Palace? Was he hurting him? Was he asking his courtiers to torture him just like they did to him? Was he screaming or crying right now? Was he calling his name in a last breath?

More than once Ophaniel had wanted to leave that lake and go there, but that was impossible. He wouldn’t go far with his tail and he didn’t even know the path to the Palace since he had spent the whole journey in Asra’s flask. He could only wait and hope he would come back soon, without a scratch.

He was swimming around in circles, his mind full of Asra, when he heard a strange noise coming from above then saw a pebble slowly falling to the bottom of the lake. Ophaniel look up to see who did that. His silhouette was blurry but those fluffy white hair were unmistakable. He swam to the surface, fast, maybe a little too fast as he startled him when he reached the ground, his tail still in the water.

“Asra!” He called his name wrapping his arms around his body, almost crushing him, and nudged his nose hard under his chin, caressing the skin. “Where have you been?! What happened?”

“I am so sorry,” he said cupping his face, thumbs drawing circles under his eyes, “it took me longer than I expected, and Lucio… needed me.”

“Did he hurt you?” he asked as his hands were already on his body lifting his shirt, looking for a bruise or a cut. Anything that would show him Lucio had touched Asra. _His_ Asra.

“No don’t worry, he did nothing. Except pissing me off and always being on my back, but that’s Lucio.” Asra laughed before kissing the bridge of his nose. “He doesn’t know Nadia asked me to make you leave the Palace. He doesn’t know you’re here.”

“That’s good then.” He said in the crook of his neck then slowly slid back into the water, Asra still trapped between his arms.

“Ophaniel no! Don’t put me in the water, not now!”

“Why not?” he asked, a pout forming on his lips, “I’ve missed you!”

“I know and I’ve missed you too.” He said then kissed his lips.

A sigh crossed them when Ophaniel teased him with the tip of his tongue, sharp teeth nibbling his bottom lip before he welcomed his tongue into his mouth. How he had missed him. He pressed his forehead against his when they parted, enjoying the silence of the cave for a few seconds before rummaging through his bag. He took a round glass bottle out from it and held it in front of Ophaniel’s eyes, his smile back on his lips.

“What is this?” Ophaniel asked frowning a little seeing the blue liquid.

“That’s what took me so long in the shop. I… I was working on a potion.”

“A potion,” he repeated, his eyebrows arched, “for what? Are you sick?”

“No, it’s for you.”

“Why? I’m not sick, right? What is it going to do to me? And why are you laughing?”

“You’re too cute,” Asra said then pecked him on the cheek before telling him to come sit next to him on the edge of the lake. “Let me explain. You can’t stay here forever, it’s not a life for you. You need more space, you need your ocean, you need to be far away from here if, by any chance, Lucio learns where you are. So I thought that maybe you could… maybe you could…”

“Maybe I could what, Asra?” He asked as one of his hand was caressing his back, and smirked when he saw him blush.

“Maybe we could leave that place and go somewhere far away. Somewhere where Lucio can’t find us, somewhere where we could be happy, just the two of us.”

Ophaniel felt a tug at his heartstrings hearing his words. Never in his life had he felt something so strong for someone, and never in his long, long life someone had said such words full of love. Ophaniel was used to living a solitary life, his peers and other sea creatures being too afraid of him and had only known violence. Until that day in the Palace when Nadia introduced them to each other.

“If I drink this potion,” he started after a while, one of his hands squeezing the one that wasn’t holding the bottle, “if I drink it, what is going to happen?”

“You’ll be human. You’ll have legs,” Asra smiled and Ophaniel could swear he could see tears at the corner of his beautiful purple eyes, “but it would only be temporary. As long as you don’t go in the water.”

Ophaniel snatched the bottle from his hand and gulped the potion. If having legs meant he could stay with Asra, be with him wherever he would go, there was no reason to wait any longer. He didn’t feel any change at first and thought that maybe Asra had spoilt the potion, but as he opened his mouth to tell him that he still could try it another time, he felt a great pain in his tail.

He was panting, the pain was unbearable as Asra helped him lie on the ground, his head resting on his lap. It felt as if someone was cutting his tail from end to end, slowly enough for him to feel the pain go through every single one of his scales. And when he thought it was finally over, when he thought he could let go of Asra’s hand and open his eyes again, his whole body started to hurt him again, making him scream. He couldn’t even hear Asra’s reassuring words with the buzzing noise in his ears, could barely feel his caresses in his hair.

It felt like hours went by when Asra put his coat on his body, and Ophaniel didn’t understand right away why he did this. It only was when he tried to sit up that he saw them, felt them. Two long and pale legs, too long for the coat to cover them entirely. He felt smaller, almost vulnerable, but mostly… naked.

“Are you okay?” Asra asked him, lips barely touching his ear.

“I think. It just feels… strange.”

“You’ll get used to it. What are you doing?” He asked, feeling his cheeks burn when Ophaniel sat cross-legged beside him and poked his new legs, the coat falling on the ground, useless.

“How do they work? How do you walk with them?”

“That can wait,” Asra told him as he wrapped his arms around his waist, bringing him closer to his chest and put a dozen of kisses on his neck and shoulder loving how his body was shivering after each kiss. “For now, you need to get dressed. You can’t learn how to walk naked, can you?”

“Oh Asra, something tells me you’d love seeing that.”

At that moment, Ophaniel knew he wanted to hear his laugh until the end of time.


End file.
